New Delhi, July 28 While allowing the petition filed by the Bachpan Bachao Aandolan (BBA) of Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, the Delhi High Court, here on Tuesday, ordered recording of statements of the rescued child bonded labourers by the metropolitan magistrates through video link due to Covid-19 pandemic.
A Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan, also said the children should not be taken to the court for this.
In the plea, filed through advocate Prabhsahay Kaur, the BBA claimed the investigation officer had asked the rescued children to physically go to the Karkardooma court to record their statements under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
According to the petition, the children, aged 10-12 years, are staying at a shelter home. The Delhi government didn't raise any objections on the issues.
Kaur informed the Bench despite being so young, the children were being taken to hospitals for Covid-19 tests instead of the same being carried out at their respective shelters.
The NGO also prayed the court for directions to make the proceedings under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protestation of Children) Act, 2015 be held through audio visual means, like video conferencing, to protect the children from Covid-19.
( With inputs from IANS )